I think that if you ask what age lds are "likely" to be found, many people will have found them around 2nd-3rd grade, when things like underachievement/struggles with learning to read/behavior issues/letter reversals/etc start to stand out, whereas in K-1 there is such a wide range of "typical" child development that outliers don't necessarily stand out.
Yes, I'm reading a lot about dyslexia still though the dyslexia testing was negative. I'm wondering if he can/will just grow out of it. The writing, however, is clearly way behind now when it's independent. If I or PT is instructing him, writing is somewhat legible though not great. And only with single letters, not words or sentences.
This is what happened with my kids (2 are 2e, one couldn't see and no one had a clue!):
DS/dyspraxia/dysgraphia - everyone thought he was the smartest kid who'd ever walked the planet (ok, slight exaggeration, but when he talked adults who didn't know him were typically very surprised, because he sounded like an adult - a very smart adult lol)…. until he went to kindergarten. He didn't really stand out in any big way in kindergarten, but he also started throwing fits when he had to do worksheets etc for homework - things that should have been very easy for him. He refused to talk to his teachers (at least it *looked* like he was refusing). When his class was giving written work, he would just sit there until the teacher gave the 2 minute morning and then he'd scrawl an answer out quickly. He reversed letters, his writing was sloppy, and he didn't write much at all in his journal. His teacher thought all of this was normal, and we (parents) didn't have any reason to think otherwise. Except for *one* thing that I'll tell you about in a minute - I'm going to make you wait, sorry
Thank you for your personal story. This is just like our scenario!
When ds was still having the same issues in the classroom in 2nd grade we were still being told by the teacher it was "developmentally normal" - it wasn't until he started having anxiety so severe that he had panic attacks at school *and* at home that we took him to see a neuropsychologist and he was diagnosed (end of 2nd grade, almost 8.5 years old). Looking back, I can't tell you how many signs I suddenly realized were there all along but I'd been too clueless (because I was uninformed *and* didn't expect it). I will *ALWAYS* always wish I'd known about dysgraphia and dyspraxia way back when ds was an infant. He is doing really really well, but his elementary school years would have been soooo so much easier if we'd known that he was struggling.
I'm sorry he had to go through all this.
My dd with the vision issues: She struggled learning to read. Everyone assumed she was simply meant to struggle to learn to read. I could kick myself over this too - she'd had an IQ test when she was 5 and struggling with anxiety when going into new places, and we knew her IQ. I don't know *why* I never questioned why she was having so much difficulty with reading given her IQ, but I just accepted what the teachers said and we tried to remediate with summer school etc. Then at the beginning of 2nd grade she complained about not being able to read the board in class, we took her to our regular eye dr, her vision checked out a-ok, and I decided it was time to take her to the neuropsych because her reading struggles didn't make sense in light of her IQ. The neuropsych veal is where we found out she had vision issues. So she doesn't have an LD, but she was struggling with reading and we didn't find out why until she was in 2nd grade (7.5 years old).
I had DS see an optometrist, we're getting an ophthalmologist exam next month, and pending those results I may still consider a developmental optometrist (seeing last if at all because of cost). I've been questioning DS on vision things and I don't think there is anything there but I guess anything's possible.
Soooo… sorry for that long ramble! The last thing I'll add is - out of the kids I know who have diagnosed LDs…. the ones that were diagnosed before 2nd/3rd grade are kids who come from families where there was already a family member with a diagnosed LD, so the parents and other family members were aware of symptoms plus somewhat watching for it. I went back through and re-read your previous posts, and I think you mentioned family members who are dyslexic. For that reason, I'd pursue testing *now*. Private testing if you need to.
It may not give you all the answers you're looking for, but it will give you another data point, and I don't think you'll regret it.
Best wishes,
polarbear
Yes, DS's grandfather has dyslexia. I'm wondering if he has dysgraphia as well after reading more about it and it's manifestations. You have an excellent memory! Your posts are always so helpful and well thought and I'm so grateful for your time
We will see about neuropsych testing. I'm not sure if/when school will test, so I'm going to start the process of private testing again but with a new person. She's an academic so I think it should be good, and is listed as a pediatric neuropsych among a whole group of them. The insurance may/may not cover it, so we're going to start with setting up appts, talking to insurance, etc.
